A welder made our bases for us out of scrap metal, but you also can use aluminum to make them a bit lighter. Ours our plenty light enough to move around.

Measurements for the base: The main part of the base measures 48" x 3", the wings off each side are 11" x 3", the round pole holders are spaced 24" apart (measured at the middle of each pole) and are sized so that a 3/4" PVC pipe will fit snugly around it.

My bases also have two half-inch holes cut into them on each wing so that you can secure them to the ground if needed. I don't need to secure mine for Rocco, but you might if you have a larger dog.

Here's what the base looks like when finished and painted:

Paint the bases
After the bases are made, the biggest part of this project is simply cleaning and spray painting the bases.

Base before painting

Scrub the bases with a brush and dish soap if they need it.

Prime the bases with a spray paint primer (I leave mine outside, so this helps keep them from rusting)

Spray paint the bases in the color of your choice. I chose a light, neutral color to keep them from heating up.

Be sure to use gloves to protect your hands and a respirator to protect your lungs when spray painting.

We found that having our own 2 x 2s made training the weaves so much easier. A few minutes several times a day is all it took! Does your dog do agility or train using the 2 x 2 method? Let us know how it's going for you!This post is sponsored by BlogPaws. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about DIY projects that enrich the lives of dogs, but To Dog With Love only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. BlogPaws is not responsible for the content of this article.

6 comments:

WOW, yours are super professional looking! We don't have welding skills so I made ours using this tutorial http://www.ammothedachshund.com/2013/04/29/diy-build-your-own-2x2-agility-weave-poles/ But yours are way more impressive, you could start a side business!